Toppling boom



April 12, 1966 v. H. TREVISAN 3,245,549

TOPPLING BOOM Filed April 24, 19 64 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR. V/lP/l b. M H/5AA April 1966 v. H. TREVISAN 3,245,549

TOPPLING BOOM Filed April 24, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 MZJ -N April 1966 v. H. TREVISAN 3,245,549

TOPPLING BOOM Filed April 24, 1964 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 United States Patent 3,245,549 TOPPLING BOOM Virgil H. Trevisan, 825 Lincoln Ave., Pltrnan, NJ. Filed Apr. 24, 1964, Ser. No. 362,518 3 Claims. (Cl. 212-3) This invention relates to cargo-handling and particularly to a toppling boom useful therefor.

Increased load demands upon cargo-handling systems have led to heavier and more complex rigs, which are most expensive to purchase, operate, and maintain. Efficient operation requires that each cargo-handling boom be utilized to a maximum. One way to do so is to enable two load sites to be served by a single boom, which may necessitate swinging the boom directly overhead (i.e. toppling it) to convert from one to the other. On shipboard, for example, the respective sites may be a pair of hatches, one forward and one aft of the boom. However, conventional toppling booms require an objectionable degree of dismantling and reassembly of rigging, or the arrangement is otherwise unsatisfactory for reasons of design complexity, excessive cost, or other disadvantage.

A primary object of the present invention is provision of a simple, relatively inexpensive, and dependable cargohandling system including a toppling boom.

Another object is provision of unique boom structure to facilitate toppling.

A further object is provision of universal mounting for a boom especially suited to toppling.

Other objects of this invention, together with means and methods for attaining the various objects, will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying diagrams.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a cargo-handling system of this invention with the boom inclined forward;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view on an enlarged scale of the upper portion of the boom of FIG. 1 shown upright or directly overhead in the course of being toppled;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the same cargo-handling system with the boom inclined aft; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view, on an enlarged scale, of the upper portion of one of the king posts of FIG. 3,

FIG. 5 is a plan view of a boom mounting of this invention, shown partially disassembled, useful in a cargohandling system as previously shown;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation, partly in section, of the same mounting with boom foot shown in place; and

FIG. 7 is a side elevation of a portion of the same mounting with boom indicated (in phantom) in stowed position.

In general, the objects of the present invention are accomplished by means of a cargo boom having a body portion extending-from the boom foot along an axis, a head portion aligned with the axis of the body portion, and a neck portion joining the head and body portions and being open therebetween in line with the axis. More specific description of various features of this invention is set forth below.

FIG. 1 shows pair of posts 11, 2 1 rising from locations on deck or platform 10 flanking mounting for the foot of boom 31. With the forward direction to the lower left for convenience in reference, the upper right is the aft direction, and the king posts rise from athwart the mounting for-the boom foot. The king posts extend in a generally vertical direction but splay outward somewhat as they do so, king post ill to the starboardside and king post 21 to the port side. Directly forward of the mounting for the boom is winch 32 for lead 33 of cargo fall 34, which runs through lead block 60 carried on the forward edge of the mounting. The cargo fall supports item of cargo 35 by means of upper and lower blocks 36 and 37 interconnected thereby and by hook 3-9 carried by the lower block, the upper block being carried by the head of the boom. Obviously the supported item of cargo can be lowered or raised by operating the winch to pay out or take up the lead of the cargo fall.

Pair of topping lift lines 13, 23 interconnect blocks 12, 22, which are swivel-mounted to the heads of respective king posts 11, 21, blocks 14, 24 carried on the boom head, and lead blocks 15, 25 carried on the king posts below blocks 12, 22. Near the base of the king posts are winches 19, 29 upon which the leads of topping lifts 1-3, 23 are wound. It will be apparent that the boom can be raised or lowered and be slewed or moved in azimuth by operation of the latter pair of winches to vary the effective length of the respective topping lift lines.

According to the present invention, simultaneous shortening of the topping lift lead lines, together with judicious use of pitch of the ship or use of an auxiliary line (not shown) attached to the after surface of the boom, permit-s the boom to be raised upright or directly overhead (FIG. 2) and toppled from inclination forward (FIG. 1) to inclination aft ('FIG. 3), the lower cargo fall block having been raised meanwhile to the vicinity of the upper one after release of the item of cargo. This convenient toppling is permitting by the open-neck construction of the boom, shown in detail in FIG. 2. The boom itself operates in essentially the same manner when inclined aft or when inclined forward. Necked roller 43 on the forward edge of the boom holds lead 33 of the cargo fall away from the surface of the boom when inclined aft and, for that matter, when the boom is nearly overhead in either inclination.

FIG. 2 shows on an enlarged scale, the upper part of boom 31, including head 42, the upper part of boom body 46, and the split neck structure interconnecting the head and the body of the boom. The neck has starboard and port side pieces 41, 41' bridged by the boom head at their outer end and by transverse piece 44 at their inner end, the upper end of the boom body fitting into the midpart of the base .of the transverse piece. Necked roller 43 is supported rotatably off the forward edge of the transverse piece by brackets 45, 45' and, as previously mentioned, supports lead of cargo fall 34 off the boom surface in the illustrated upright position as well as when the boom is inclined aft or inclined only slightly forward. The necked configuration of the roller tends to keep the lead from running too far out to one side.

In FIG. 2 the hoisting means, which is made up of upper block 36 depending from the boom head and lower block 37 depending from and interconnected to the upper block by cargo fall 34, together with cargo hook 39 depending from the lower block, is framed within the split neck provided by boom head 42, pair of side pieces 41, 41, and transverse piece 44 located at the junction of the neck and the upper end of the body of the boom. It will be apparent that when the lower block is drawn up so close to the upper block by the winding up of the lead of the cargo fall (without any item of cargo attached) this entire hoisting assembly will move readily through the split neck of the boom when the boom is toppled.

Antifouling ring 47 surrounds the lower block to permit it to swing freely past lead 33 of the cargo fall.

Topping lift lines and their blocks are shown in part in FIG. 2 and in part, on an enlarged scale, in FIG. 4. Blocks 14 and 24 for topping lifts 13 and 23 are affixed by swivels 54 and 59 pinned pivotally to the top of the boom head. FIG. 4 shows the upper part of starboard king post 11, which is essentially a mirror image of the like king post on the port side. Swivel 52, pinned pivotally to the top of the king post, carries block 12. for topping lift 13. Some distance below, on the inboard side of the king post, bracket 56 pivotally carries inverted clevis pin 55 extending substantially parallel to the king post, and lead block 15 for the topping lift line is pivotally mounted on pin 57 extending transversely through the clevis head at the lower end of pin 55.

FIG. shows, in plan, mounting 20, which is especially suited to use with the boom illustrated and designed above, but may be employed with other booms having an essentially spherical foot and a narrow interconnection to the body of the boom. Four oblique braces 61, spaced apart ninety degrees in azimuth, support flat annular top plate 62, which supports essentially hemispherical socket 63 (open upward). Shown in broken lines, sets of long and short vertical rib plates 67, 66 are aifixed to the under side of the annular top plate, long plates 67 being aflixed also to the inner edges of braces 61; similarly shown are coaxial lower and upper base rings 68 and 69, which are aflixed to the rib plates. The rim of the socket is bored to receive retaining bolts for a pair of side pieces 65, 65'; one of the side pieces is omitted from this view (as is the boom itself) in the interest of clarity.

FIG. 6 shows mounting 20 in front elevation, partly in section, with boom 31 in place. Spherical foot 48 of the boom is joined to body 40 thereof by interconnecting portion 49, which flares from a stub-like connection to the foot to a flanged connection to the lower end of the body of the boom. Pair of side pieces 65, 65' upstanding from the rim of socket 63 conform at their inner faces to the curvature of the boom foot and thereby constitute extensions of the socket. Their straight inner edges above the foot form a pathway for the narrow interconnecting portion of the boom.

Socket 63 of the mounting for the boom is on the upper end of tapered and shouldered pin 70, which seats at its lower end in base casting 71 provided with thrust and radial bearings 72 and 73 and supported on deck or platform by lower and upper base rings 68 and 69 afiixed to the rib plates. The upper end of the socket pin is surrounded by upper casting 75 provided with radial bearings 76 and supported at the inner edge of the rib plate and annular top plate 62. Cap 77 carried by the peripheral surface of socket 63 overhangs the upper casting to exclude foreign matter from the bearing surfaces. The body of the socket pin is surrounded by housing 79, which joins the base and upper castings, for a like reason for further structural rigidity of the mounting.

FIG. 7 shows, also in elevation (but from the side as compared with the front view of FIG. 8), socket pin 70 and socket 63 with extension side piece 65 thereon, and with boom 31 indicated in phantom at a position of low inclination or stowage. It will be apparent that this assembly rotates freely, as when the boom is slewed, with respect to the fixed mounting elements from which it is here shown removed. Such rotation is effected by confact of the narrow interconnecting portion of the boom with the upstanding side pieces. No undue stress is applied to any part of the mounting or to the boom, and not only is failure obviated but maintenance is reduced to a minimum.

The above description and illustration of preferred structural and functional features does not preclude variations or modifications in the apparatus of this invention. Parts may be varied in size, shape, and number, or be added, combined, subdivided, or subtracted, or have equivalents substituted therefor Without involving a departure from the invention as defined in the following claims.

The claimed invention is:

1. In a cargo boom, means at the foot thereof for mounting the boom for universal movement including toppling, cargo-hoisting means at the head thereof including an upper block depending from the boom head and a lower block depending from the upper block and interconnected thereto by a cargo fall, the cargo fall having a single lead only, the lead extending from the upper block substantially the total length of the boom, means located adjacent the boom foot for winding up the lead of the cargo fall, a divided neck joining the head to the body of the boom and providing an opening for both blocks and the interconnecting portion of the cargo fall to pass through below the head and above the body of the boom when the boom is toppled from a position of inclination forward to a position of inclination aft, the body of the boom consisting essentially of a single elongated member extending over a major portion of the total length of the boom, and means on the boom and adjacent the neck thereof for supporting the lead of the cargo fall off the boom surface when the boom is inclined away from the means for winding up the lead of the cargo fall.

2. In a cargo boom, means at the foot thereof for mounting the boom for universal movement including toppling between inclination forward and inclination aft, cargo-hoisting means at the head thereof including an upper block swingably mounted on and depending from the head, a depending lower block interconnected to the upper block by a cargo fall, the lead of the cargo fall extending from the upper block to guide means therefor located adjacent the boom foot and on substantially a fore-to-aft line therethrough, there being a guard carried by the lower block and surrounding the interconnecting portion of the cargo fall to prevent fouling with the lead of the cargo fall, a divided neck joining the head to the body of the boom and providing an opening for both blocks and the interconnecting portion of the cargo fall to pass through below the head and above the body of the boom when the boom is toppled from a position of inclination forward to a position of inclination aft and from a position of inclination aft to a position of inclination forward, the body of the boom consisting essentially of a single elongated member extending over a major portion of the total length of the boom.

3. In a cargo boom, means at the foot thereof for mounting the boom for universal movement including toppling between inclination forward and inclination aft, cargo-hoisting means at the head thereof including an upper block swingably mounted on and depending from the head, a depending lower block interconnected to the upper block by a cargo fall, the lead of the cargo fall extending from the upper block to guide means therefor located adjacent the boom foot and on substantially a fore-to-aft line therethrough, there being a guard carried by the lower block and surrounding the interconnecting portion of the cargo fall to prevent fouling with the lead of the cargo fall, a divided neck joining the head to the body of the boom and providing an opening for both blocks and the interconnecting portion of the cargo fall to pass through below the head and above the body of the boom when the boom is toppled from a position of inclination forward to a position of inclination aft and from a pos1tion of inclination aft to a posltron of inclination forward, the body of the boom consisting essentially of a single elongated member extending over a major portion of the total length of the boom, and a necked roller at the junction of the neck and body of the boom for supporting the lead of the cargo fall off the boom surface when the boom is inclined away from the guide means for the cargo fall lead at the boom foot.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Venditty 287-91 Orstctt 287-91 Kohnenkamp et a1. 212-3 Priest 254-190 X Lehmann 212-3 Leake et a1. 212-8 Leh-Inann 212-3 16 V FOREIGN PATENTS 5 HUGO O. SCHULTZ, Primary Examiner.

ANDRES H. NIELSEN, SAMUEL F. COLEMAN,

A. L. LEVINE, Assistant Examiner.

Examiners. 

1. IN A CARGO BOOM, MEANS AT THE FOOT THEREOF FOR MOUNTING THE BOOM FOR UNIVERSAL MOVEMENT INCLUDING TOPPLING, CARGO-HOISTING MEANS AT THE HEAD THEREOF INCLUDING AN UPPER BLOCK DEPENDING FROM THE BOOM HEAD AND A LOWER BLOCK DEPENDING FROM THE UPPER BLOCK AND INTERCONNECTED THERETO BY A CARGO FALL, THE CARGO FALL HAVING A SINGLE LEAD ONLY, THE LEAD EXTENDING FROM THE UPPER BLOCK SUBSTANTIALLY THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE BOOM, MEANS LOCATED ADJACENT THE BOOM FOOT FOR WINDING UP THE LEAD OF THE CARGO FALL, A DIVIDED NECK JOINING THE HEAD TO THE BODY OF THE BOOM AND PROVIDING AN OPENING FOR BOTH BLOCKS AND THE INTERCONNECTING PORTION OF THE CARGO FALL TO PASS THROUGH BELOW THE HEAD AND ABOVE THE BODY OF THE BOOM WHEN THE BOOM IS TOPPLED FROM A POSITION OF INCLINATION FORWARD TO A POSITION OF INCLINATION AFT, THE BODY OF THE BOOM CONSISTING ESSENTIALLY OF A SINGLE ELONGATED MEMBER EXTENDING OVER A MAJOR PORTION OF THE TOTAL LENGTH OF THE BOOM, AND MEANS ON THE BOOM AND ADJACENT THE NECK THEREOF FOR SUPPORTING THE LEAD OF THE CARGO FALL OF THE BOOM SURFACE WHEN THE BOOM IS INCLINED AWAY FROM THE MEANS FOR WINDING UP THE LEAD OF THE CARGO FALL. 